Longtime candy maker sticks to basics
Kay Giglio started making hand-dipped chocolate nearly 60 years ago to give as gifts to family and friends at Christmas time.
Now 82, she's still making chocolate -- and for lots more people than just family and friends.
Kay's Candies has changed its focus over the years since Giglio founded the business while still in her 20s, but the dipped chocolate is the same.
The idea for the business originated when Giglio was first married and wanted to learn how to better make the dipped chocolates. When she was 23, she attended what was then the Antoinette Pope School of Fancy Cookery in Chicago.
While she raised her children in Chicago, she set up a little candy factory in the basement of her home where she made the fresh chocolate. The small business grew too large for all the delivery trucks that came to her home and she opened a store on Belmont in Chicago. Two additional stores followed on the Northwest side of the city.
When the retail hours became too long, she thought retirement may be the answer and closed the stores. However, she missed making the chocolate. With the help of her son, Michael Giglio, she is back in business.
"I do all the heavy lifting. My mom does all the fancy stuff," the younger Giglio said.
The duo from Park Ridge is expanding the business and will soon start taking orders from their Web site, Kayscandies.com. For the past several years, they ran Kay's Candies only during the holidays, from September through January. With many repeat customers, they took orders mainly by phone and e-mail.
But business is picking up, and they are now running the business all year and making the chocolates for weddings and other special occasions.
Kay makes the candy the same way she always has.
"She does it the old-fashioned way, with copper kettles and all-natural ingredients," said Michael, 43.
The recipes don't have additives, so the chocolate must be kept in the refrigerator and doesn't have a long shelf life.
Kay's specialties are the five different fudge rum balls she offers. Other favorites include the five flavors of butter cremes and peanut butter crunch. For the best flavor, Michael said they roast all their own nuts and then dip them right away.
"You can tell right away it's a handmade product," he said.
They charge $15 for a pound of the hand-dipped chocolate and $30 for a 2-pound box.
"For my mom, this is an artwork. She does all the fancy work," said Michael, who also works as a general manager for a Bensenville trucking company during the day.
For more information, call (847) 759-0166.
Kim Mikus covers retail and small business. She welcomes comments at (847) 427-4567 or kmikus@dailyherald.com.